The present invention relates in general to semiconductor device fabrication methods and resulting structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and resulting structures for improving the adhesion of organic underlayers to the surface of a substrate.
In contemporary semiconductor device fabrication processes a large number of discrete microelectronic devices, such as field effect transistors (FETs), are fabricated on a single wafer. FETs are well known in the electronic arts and form the basis of modern integrated circuit (IC) design, logic, and memory applications. IC fabrication commonly involves sequential deposition and etching steps to pattern the materials that form these discrete devices. Radiation sensitive materials (photoresists) are commonly used to transfer device patterns into functional materials. Processing steps include pattern-defined radiation exposure, pattern development, and then transfer into the functional material via differential etching. Continued improvement in IC performance is dictated by reductions in device size and progress is gated by advances in photolithographic techniques and process resolution.